When a Laboratory Automation System (LAS) is installed at a customer site, a service technician aligns elements of the system, e.g. the frame, XY-gantry for the robotic arm, and the drawers on the work surface, to enable the robotic arm to precisely grip and transfer sample tubes from one position to another position. Typically, alignment of the robot arm to the working space was done manually. Manual alignment is a slow and costly process, particularly on a complex LAS which may include several robotic arms which must each be separately aligned. Additionally, manual alignment has the potential to introduce human error into each alignment. Auto-alignment processes allow for fewer service technicians to install and align more LAS in less time and with fewer risks of incorrect alignment due to human error.
In a typical LAS, each robotic arm is fixed to a gantry over a work surface, which can include, e.g., test tubes in racks that can be moved to different positions or tools on the work surface. For example, moving a test tube from a distribution rack to a centrifuge adapter. Gripping movement needs to be precise to avoid various problems. For example, if the robotic arm cannot grip a tube, or if it successfully grips a selected tube, but destroys the tube due to a misalignment. Conventional manual alignment can include various steps, such as manually positioning the gripper arm to several different positions on the work surface, either by hand or using an external drive motor. Additionally, the robotic arms need to be separately aligned for racks or drawers on the work surface. This procedure can take many hours to a day per robotic arm for manual alignment by a service technician.
Embodiments of the present invention address these and other problems.